Money-Earning Guidelines

By planning and participating in money-earning projects, girls build real-world skills that benefit their troop/group, council, and community—but most importantly, themselves. Here are some of the things girls can learn:

* Budgeting
* Goal-setting
* Customer relations
* Good business practices
* Public relations

To ensure that girls build their new skills safely, Girl Scouts of the USA and local Girl Scout councils have developed money-earning guidelines for girls and adults to follow. Safety-Wise, a GSUSA publication, outlines in detail everything troops, groups, and individuals need to know to begin a money-earning project. Following is a list of Do's and Don'ts to help you start thinking about future ventures:

Do

* Follow Safety-Wise standards and your council guidelines about money-earning.
* Make sure activities are age-appropriate and that they follow the goals and principles of Girl Scout program.
* Decide as a group how to use money earned by the group—individuals cannot earn money for their individual use.
* Make sure an adult is present at all times during money-earning activities outside the meeting place.
* Set up a group bank account that is overseen by a leader or a designated adult and follow council guidelines.
* Check with your council if you are an individual member and want to apply for financial assistance or sell Girl Scout Cookies® with a group.

Don't

* Participate in games of chance, direct solicitation for cash, or product endorsement.
* Raise money for another organization or cause (you can donate as a group from your treasury or give service)
* Do any money-earning project without approval from your council.
* Conduct any sales on the Internet.

Always check the policies in the Blue Book of Basic Documents 2000 and the Program Standards in Safety-Wise as well as council policies and standards while discussing potential projects.

Ideas for Group Money-Earning

Get creative! Money-earning shouldn't be drudgery—have fun building new skills and helping the troop or group. Here are some ideas to help you think about getting started:

* Sell Girl Scout Cookies®
* Provide childcare at a special event
* Make handmade cards for special occasions
* Pick up litter after sports events
* Have a themed car wash
* Do face-painting at a community event
* Wash neighborhood windows
* Hold a drive for returnable cans
* Walk pets

Look around you and see what needs could be filled or what interests your girls have. What will your next project be?